Barrier shoe for aeroplanes



June 26, 1928. 1,674,771

J. s. FOX 7 BARRIER SHOE FOR AEROPLANES Filed Sept. 27. 1926 J'ublus- 5-Fox .3): g e AQ W Patented June 2%, 1928.

JULIUS S. FOX, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BARRIER SHOE FOR AEBOPLANES.

Application filed September 27, 1926. Serial No. 137,891.

ing proper speed, said barrier may be readily,

and quite suddenly released, and the vehicle permitted to rush forwardwith high speed, using such accumulated force or power which has beenthus attained, because of entire lack of retardation by the usualextremely gradual increase of speed of the vehicle, which results fromair obstruction prior to the moment when the engine has attainedsufficient speed, and from the diffs culty of overcoming the momentum ofthe vehicle and its load while yet the force of the propeller is notgreat enough to overcome it.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a floor means witha shoe member hinged theretoupon a transverse hinge, so that an actuatorconnected to the shoe leads backward of the vehicle which rests upon thefloor element while the engine is starting, and may, when proper enginespeed is attained, suddenly remove the shoe as an effective barrier fromthe floor support, and permit the advance of the vehicle.

Vith'these and other objects in view, I have incorporated myinvention inan illustrative embodiment of the same which is described hereinafter,recited in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of my barriershoe and mounting mechanism with an aeroplane shown in position-thereon;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the frame mechanism for the shoe, butwith the barrier shoe in vertical, central, longitudinal section, andmounted in a manner slightly modified from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2,and

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the device shown in Fig. 3.

My invention is here shown as mounted upon what may be a launchingstage, a repair fioor, or a testing platform, the floor 5 of which maybe anchored upon an outdoor space which may be level ground or unevenground, in which latter case suitable piles 6 may be provided topositively support the the blocks 17.

of the latter.

stage. This floor 5 may be so anchored for more readily taking off ofthe plane therefrom or for supporting theplane in a repair shop to holdthe same in position while the propeller is actuated at high speed toenable careful observation of the plane, propeller and engine while sorunning.

Upon the forward portion 7 of the platform or floor 5 is mounted fixedlyan inclined support floor 8 whose rear end 9 is attached to the floor 5and the front edge 10 supported in a position quite a little higher thanthe horizontal surface of the base floor 5. To this edge 10 is hinged bya transverse pin 11 the barrier shoe 12 which is usually of polygonalshape and is hinged at 11 upon one of its sides or longest edges. Theopposite or outer edge 13 of this shoe 12 has secured thereto astrengthening bar or brace 14 whose ends 15 extend laterally from saidshoe a short distance for a pun pose later to be explained.

Upon the side edges 16 of said shoe are fixed brace blocks 17 near thehinge edge thereof, and fixed upon these blocks 17 are bars 18positioned at right angles to the plane of the shoe and to the edgesbearing These arms or bars 18 are spaced somewhat from the lower orhinge edge of the shoe for the purpose of actuation A cable element 19is attached tothe edge 13 of the shoe at each side by fixing the same tothe ends 15 respectively.

The cable ends are then directed backwardly above and below the ends ofthe bars 18 on either side, andthence wound about a reel 20 which ismounted for rotation transverse of the rear end of the floor 5, and isprovided with a crank for actuation, so that rotation of the reel willactuate the bar ends and with them the edge 13 of the shoe to lift orlower the shoe on such hinge 11. todetermine the effectiveness of theshoe 12 as a barrier.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the barrier shoe 12 has been shown as inclined, whicharrangement is satisfactory, when the shoe leads forward to anadjoining, inclined platform 21'. In Figs. 3 and t. however, the shoe 12is shown as substantially horizontal when in the lower position. and ismost practicable when the shoe leads forward to a horizontal platform21. The general structure of the two forms of barrier shoe is in themain very similar, and the actuation thereof is substantially identical.The bar 14; as well as the blocks 17 and actuating bar 18 arequite'similar in use on the dilferent forms of shoes'12 and 12?.Operation: If an aerial vehicle 22 is to be launched from the flooror'stagingji) out 8 and the rear end supported upon the main floor justforward of the reel or pulley shaft. Sincethereiare two pulleys on thisshaft, the plane may readily be placed between these pulleys. The shoe12, or 12 if this form is used, is now raised on the hinge pin 11" to anangle desired, this being'depe'nd ill? cut more orzless upon the weightof the ve hicle, its power, and the speed to be attained (of-the engineand propeller, not necessarily of the vehicle itself), before thevehicle is permitted to rush forward, first upon the platform 21, or 21,and then in aerial flight The shoe is'ret'ained in the upper position toact: asa positive barrier to the forward advance of the vehicle untilthe desired propeller speed is attained, after which the cable 19 isactuated by means of the parts 13 to 18 and 20",to' suddenly lower theshoe to release the plane from its barrier. It is a special advantage ofmy construction that such release does not require the operator to bebeneath the plane but is stationed at the rear thereof, avoiding dangerof accident when the plane retained while: the engine isrunning', aswell as after its release. The part 21 may be a horizontal platform toreceive the vehicle upon its release, or it may be a short base platefor receiving the wheels of an vehicle thereon temporarily inpositioning the same for testing, for example.

It is further to be observed that myimproved construction isadapted forretaining the vehicle behind the barrier shoe While running the engineshort periods for observation and testing the same. Such floorli withthe incline 8 and the barrier shoe may advantageously be installed in arepair shop or factory for observation, though not connecledwith anyflight platforn'l, an d not used there for more than telmjiorar'ytesting, For this purpose, though, the structure is very useful. 1

The relative width of the shoe'compared with" the vheight of the vehiclewheels, is not intended to bejlimit'edflto that shown in the drawings,but may be of any convenient width to produce the effective height whenraised, as may berequired".

Having now described" my inv'entionwhat I claimand desire to secure byLetters Patentof theUnited States is as follows 1 A barrier shoecomprising a flat plate having hinge members on one of its "longeredges-,a brace block secured to ori'e of the shorter-"edges of" theplateand a cross bar fixed upon the extreme end of said block, a

brace member secured to the edgegof the plate oppo ite; the hingemembers and extending slightly beyond the outline of the plate,and'braci'ng cable members connecting the ends of said cross bar withthe extended end of the brace member. 7

2. Barri-er mechanism for aeroplanes comprising an elongated supportplatform having a flat section and a front section inclined upwardlyfrom the rear in fixed relation, a flat surfaced shoe hinged to theforward edge of said inclined section on a transverse axis foroscillating movement upwardly to a position above the level of saidfront section, and means, including a'winding element mountedtransversely'of the platform at its extreme rear end, and an actuatingconnector between the windingelement and shoe, for actuatingthe latterupon its hinge. 3. Barrier mechanism for aerial vehicles comprising afixed supporting platform having an upwardly-inclined" forward sectionin fixedrelation to the main platform, a shoe plate hinged to theforward ed'geof said inclined section on a transverse axis, a transverseblock extending laterally from the shoe 7 at a point adjacent the hinge,a bar mounted on said block at an angle to the plane of the shoe andblock, a cable element secured to the forward part of said shoe andguided by the ends of the bar, and extending rearwaidlyto a point onsaid platform beyond the intersection of the platform and inclinedsection, and means at said point for actuating said cable elementto'move'the shoe plate on said hinge.

1-; Bari'er mechanism for aeroplanes comprising a supporit'platform, aninclined forward section inclined upwardly from an in; terinediate partofthe platform and in fixed relation thereto,a barrier shoe plate hingedtothe forward edge of the inclined section for pivotal movement on atransve'rseaxi's, fixed brace meanssupported upon said main platformforward of the hinge, to receive thereon the forward end oflthe shoewhen the latter is in its. lower position, atransverse inding' clementmounted for rotation or oscillation at the rear end of the platform,means for actuatiiigsaid element, an endless cable'element' attached tothe forward end of the shoe and passingover the winding. element, andmeans attached'to sa d. shoe plate at its lateral edges for separatmgthetwo strands of said cable element as; they pass rearwardly over thehinge, so that actuating means will swing the shoe plate upwardly topresent a barrier to the advance of a ve'-' hicle resting on saidinclined section, and remove said barrier whenthe' shoe islo'weredl Inwitness whereof I', have hereunto set m hand' this 22nd day'ofSeptember; 192

